Definition

A person who secretly gets on a ship, plane, or other vehicle without paying to travel.

Example

The stowaway was discovered hiding in the cargo hold of the ship.

Conversation

Did you hear about the stowaway on the cruise ship last week?

Yeah, I read about that! It's wild how someone can hide away like that.

I wonder what they were thinking, trying to sneak on board.

Maybe they just wanted an adventure without paying for it!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Stowaway is formed from "stow" (from Old English *stowian*, meaning to place or put away) and "away" (meaning at a distance from a place). The word describes someone who hides away, typically on a vehicle, to travel without being detected.

Memory Tip

Think of someone 'putting away' ('stow') themselves 'at a distance' ('away') to travel secretly.

Visually Confused Words